Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Clinical Trial
Balloon laryngoscopy reduces head extension and blade leverage in patients with potential cervical spine injury.
Head extension and excessive laryngoscope blade levering motion (LBLM) are undesirable during airway management of trauma patients. We hypothesized that laryngoscopy with a modified blade facilitating glottic exposure by balloon inflation would reduce head extension and LBLM. ⋯ Balloon laryngoscopy reduces head extension and LBLM under simulated cervical spine precautions.
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Physiological background concerning mechanics of the respiratory system, techniques of measurement and clinical implications of pressure-volume curve measurement in mechanically ventilated patients are discussed in the present review. The significance of lower and upper inflection points, the assessment of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)-induced alveolar recruitment and overdistension and rationale for optimizing ventilatory settings in patients with acute lung injury are presented. Evidence suggests that the continuous flow method is a simple and reliable technique for measuring pressure-volume curves at the bedside. In patients with acute respiratory failure, determination of lower and upper inflection points and measurement of respiratory compliance should become a part of the routine assessment of lung injury severity, allowing a bedside monitoring of the evolution of the lung disease and an optimization of mechanical ventilation.
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Fluid management strategies need to be guided by an understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying fluid imbalance. In the hypovolaemic patient, reduced circulating blood volume and venous return and, in severe cases, altered tissue perfusion may initiate a cascade of pathophysiologic processes culminating in multiple organ failure. The objectives of fluid management are to maintain adequate blood pressure, tissue oxygenation and intravascular fluid volume. ⋯ Further evidence is needed to broaden understanding of the optimal roles for particular fluid management strategies. Experimental models can make an important contribution in gathering such evidence. Rigorous pharmacoeconomic studies are also needed to define the benefits and costs of differing fluid regimens.
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Comparative Study
Femoral vein size in newborns and infants: preliminary investigation.
The femoral vein is an important site for central venous access in newborns and infants. The objectives of this study are to determine whether age or weight can be used clinically to predict the size of the femoral vein in newborns and infants, and to compare the size of the vein in each individual in both the supine and reverse Trendelenburg positions. ⋯ Weight is predictive of femoral vein diameter in infants, but not in newborns. In infants, weight might serve as a more sensitive index for estimating size of the femoral vein in order to determine accurately the size of intravascular catheter appropriate for cannulation. The diameter of the femoral vein increases in the reverse Trendelenburg position compared with that in the supine position in both newborns and infants. A large prospective study is required to validate these findings.
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Hemofiltration as an adjunct to therapy for sepsis is now 10 years old. Despite early successes and significant theoretical advantages, the treatment remains experimental. ⋯ Clinical as well as technical difficulties remain important considerations to future studies. These issues are discussed and the brief history of hemofiltration in sepsis is reviewed.